Yoenis Cespedes, Derek Norris back in A’s lineup

Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring) and Derek Norris (back) are in the lineup vs. Justin Verlander, with Cespedes at DH and Norris back behind the plate. With Cespedes DHing, Stephen Vogt is getting his first start in left field this season, but he’s played there plenty in the minors, including at Sacramento this year, and he’s looked good in right.

As promised, manager Bob Melvin shook up the lineup a bit, giving Josh Donaldson the day off, just the second time this season Donaldson has not been in the lineup. Donaldson does look a little tired, and as Melvin mentioned last night, these three-city tips – five of them in a row to start the season – seem to adversely affect the A’s in the final stop of each trip. They’re 4-10 in those final series, and Monday’s series opener was hot, to boot.

Nate Freiman gets a start vs. a right-hander, unusual, but Melvin pointed to Verlander’s splits this season: .328 for right-handers against him, a .243 average for left-handers. Last year, Freiman still might have gotten the start because he faced right-handers almost never, but one reason the A’s placed Freiman at Sacramento the first half was so he would get plenty of at-bats against right-handers again. This is his third career start vs. a right-hander.

Verlander, of course, is a constant thorn in Oakland’s side. He’s 8-6 wih a 2.48 ERA vs. Oakland in the regular season, and in the postseason, he’s dominated them entirely, going 4-0 and holding them to five runs in 36 1/3 innings. He’s basically eliminated the A’s from the postseason by himself the last two years, allowing them one run – one run – in four games and 31 innings.

Melvin hinted again this morning that Eric O’Flaherty will come off the DL as soon as tomorrow. That’s a big deal, he’s a lights-out lefty. Jeff Francis is the most likely option to come off the roster to make room for O’Flaherty.